Communions.
January—Fifth Sabbath, Inverness. February—First Sabbath, Dingwall; third, Stornoway; fourth, North Uist. March—First Sabbath, Ullapool; second, Ness and Portree; third, Finsbay; fourth, Kinlochbervie and North Tolsta. April—First Sabbath, London, Portnalong, Achmore and Stoer; second, Fort William; third, Greenock; fourth, Glasgow; and fifth, Wick. May—First Sabbath, Kames and Oban; second, Seourie and Broadford; third, Edinburgh. June—First Sabbath, Tarbert, Applecross, Coigach; second, Shieldaig; third, Lochearron, Glendale, Helmsdale, Dornoch and Uig; fourth, Inverness and Gairloch. July—First Sabbath, Lairg, Raasay and Beuly; second, Staffin, Tomatin and Tain; third, Halkirk, Rogart, Flashadder and Daviot; fourth, Braedale, North Uist and Ploekton; fifth, Achmore and Thurso. August—First Sabbath, Dingwall and Vancouver (Canada); second, Portree and Stratherrick; third, Bonar, Finsbay and Laide; fourth, Vatten and Stornoway. September—First Sabbath, Ullapool and Breaselete; second, Strathy; third, Tarbert and Stoer. October—First Sabbath, Tolsta and Lochearron; second, Gairloch and Ness; third, Applecross; fourth, Greenock, Lochinver and Wick. November—First Sabbath, Oban and Raasay; second, Glasgow and Halkirk; third, Edinburgh, Dornoch and Uig. December—First Sabbath, London.
Synod Proceedings and Deputies’ African Report.
These have been printed together as intimated in last issue of magazine. The price per copy is 2/6d., and postage 3d. extra per copy. To be had from Mr. J. Grant, 4 Millburn Road, Inverness.
Notices of Standing Collections.
The Editor will be pleased to publish in the magazine the annual notices which are sent out to congregations for the Standing Collections of the Church. Those in charge of such notices might send a copy to the Editor through Mr. J. Grant as soon as they are printed. Readers outwith congregations at home, and friends abroad, would then be reminded of the needs of each Standing Collection.
Jewish and Foreign Mission Fund Collection.*
* This Notice is, as usual, read to congregations, but may be of interest to friends not resident in any congregational area.—Editor.
This Collection is to be taken by box from house to house in August, and in the past the people of our Church have responded liberally, manifesting their lively interest in our Mission in Southern Rhodesia. By the time this notice is read to our congregations, it is probable that the Report of the Synod’s Deputies will be in the hands of most of our people, putting them in possession of a mass of interesting facts which give a sober, but illuminating view of matters connected with the Mission Field. From the religious point of view it can be clearly seen that, in that distant land, there is an open door for the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and many who are faithful to its testimony; that there are not a few tokens for good, and many among the Africans who bear evidences that they are mature Christians, while the extent of our educational activities may be grasped by the fact that there is a total of 3,395 pupils in the various schools within the Mission, all getting sound religious instruction which, in many cases, the Holy Spirit has blessed. From a financial point of view all this work, apart from Government Grants, is dependent on the contributions of the Church at home and donations given from time to time by private individuals. We have had to refuse invitations to enlarge our sphere of labour, and even had to curtail some of our activities, through lack of funds and teachers. We leave these facts with our loyal people in the full assurance that they will contribute as liberally as the Lord will lay to their hand, and carry the Mission and its work upon their spirits at the Throne of Grace, remembering that it is written, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
JOHN COLQUHOUN, Convener.
August, 1956.